


My Story

by hello33willoTheWisp845



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F, What Happend?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26483896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hello33willoTheWisp845/pseuds/hello33willoTheWisp845
Summary: My name is Kathryn Janeway and this is my story. It starts in the Delta Quadrant.
Relationships: Kathryn Janeway/Seven of Nine
Comments: 29
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language, but I would like to share my stories with you. Therefore, please excuse any errors that occur now and then. Many thanks.
> 
> In this story I have tried to tell the story from the point of view of Kathryn Janeway, I hope you enjoy it and reading the story is pleasant.

This is my story...

It starts in the Delta Quadrant, where it ends is uncertain ...

My name is Kathryn Janeway and I am the captain of the USS Voyager. I fell in love with an ex-Borg drone. I tore her from her collective and forced humanity on her. At first she hated me, then learned to trust and follow me. I've seen her so many times with a serious face and her hands behind her back. So stiff and emotionless, but as proud and strong-willed as only she could be. But I also saw her angry and thanked God that she was on my side and not my enemy. But I've also seen her smile a few times and each time I thought that was the most beautiful smile I've ever seen.

But the way I saw her now, I had never seen her before. Her face was pulled into a grotesque mask and the tears rolled down her cheeks from her eyes. She held my hand in hers and asked me not to die. Yes, she desperately begged that I should fight for my life and not give up.

I was just so infinitely tired, my body ached everywhere and my thoughts slipped away from me more and more. She was with me while the doctor and Tom were busy walking around trying to save my broken body and my life.

My eyelids were so heavy, but before they closed I looked at her again and decided that if I was to survive I should definitely talk to her about my feelings for her and take her on a date.

My eyes closed and a welcome darkness enveloped me and my thoughts became calm and I sinking in nothing.

*******************************

The next time my eyes opened, I found it difficult to move and my head was buzzing uncomfortably. The brightness hurt my eyes, so I quickly closed them. I waited a moment before opening she again. It was a little better, but what I saw with my eyes didn't make any sense to me.

The room I was in seemed unfamiliar to me. I closed my eyes again, hoping that when I opened them again I would find myself in the infirmary. When I opened my eyes, however, I was still in the unfamiliar room.

I tried to lift my heavy humming head, but it was so damn hard. So my eyes wandered around the room and examined it closely. The room wasn't very big and there was hardly any furniture in it. There was really only the bed I was lying on, a cupboard in the corner and an armchair next to the bed. On one side a door could be seen and across from it a large window was let into the wall, which was decorated with a curtain.

Otherwise there was no indication of where I was. I listened but couldn't hear anything. I tried to sit up in bed. My head began to hum a little more and I also felt dizzy. I ignored it because there was something more important at that moment. I had to find out where I was. But I couldn't get up, as much as I wanted to, I couldn't.

I tried to use my hand to straighten myself up, to support myself, and to push the covers away. But she didn't move a bit. Neither my left nor my right hand would obey me. I mentally made her move, but nothing happened. In just a few seconds, I was so damn exhausted. They just didn't want to move. I tried to move something on my body, but apart from my head, eyelids, eyes and mouth nothing seemed to work anymore. I tried again and again and the result was the same. Nothing ... my body just wouldn't move. In frustration, I closed my eyes and considered my situation.

I was ... I didn't know where. Neither did I know who was still there. But at some point, I thought, someone would have to come over and look after me. Or? I wondered if I should scream out loud and thus draw someone's attention to me?

My head was buzzing and my eyelids were so heavy again that it was difficult to keep open she. So I closed she and before I knew it, I was back in the dark.

*******************************

In my twilight state, I suddenly heard steps and the door opening. I wanted to open my eyes, but they wouldn't obey me. I felt the bedspread being put aside and hands laying on my body. My body that no longer wanted to obey me. Damn it!!! I forced my eyes to open and after a few tries, they finally fluttered open and I saw a woman in front of me. She was wearing a blue shirt, I could see that much. She leaned over me and pushed my nightgown up over my chest. I was now completely bare in front of her and I was infinitely ashamed. I didn't know who she was and what she was doing to me.

I wanted to yell at her and tell her to leave me and my body alone. That she should tell me where I am and who she is. But my mouth and my voice didn't obey me. It was just like my heavy body that refused to react.

I gathered all of my inner strength and willpower that I could muster and managed to open my mouth. But no sound left him. I groaned in frustration and lo and behold, it worked, although I didn't even have to exert myself.

The woman gave me a startled look and put the washcloth she had been using for the last few minutes back into the bowl with the warm water.

She asked me in astonishment if I was awake and I tried to answer her, but no sound escaped from my mouth, which I had opened.

The woman looked at me closely and then frowned.

She said she would get a doctor quickly and asked me to lie quietly while she quickly ran out of my room.

I looked after her and groaned out loud inside. As if I could move a lot. Didn't this woman know that my body no longer obeyed me?

After a few minutes the nurse came back, this time with a tall, slim man who leaned over me with a small flashlight and shone in my eyes. It was uncomfortable, so I closed my eyes to avoid the light.

The doctor said it be nice that I woke up again and then he turned to the nurse to instruct her to order a nurse to take me down to the exam station.

He telling me that I had an accident and that they had to put me into an artificial coma so that my body could fully recover and heal. He also said that now that I was awake again, I would recover very quickly.

But I didn't even listen to him anymore.

Question after question jumped through my head. An accident? What happened? Where was my crew? Where was I? Damn it! Why wasn't I where I belong? Why didn't the doctor tell me the important things I really needed to know?

A short time later I was brought down to the exam station and there I was placed on a diagnostic bed and another doctor started various scans. But of course he didn't share his results with me. The longer I lay on the diagnostic bed in the exam station, the more frustrated and angry I got. Was it too much to ask to tell me what the scans showed? Damn it, where did I get to?


	2. Chapter 2

The next time I woke up, I went up in a panic. But two warm arms immediately wrapped themselves around my body and gently held me.

"Shtt ... all right." Said a soft voice and when my head turned to this voice, I looked into my mom's gray warm eyes.

"Mom?" I asked, staring at her in confusion and wonder.

"Yes of course. While you were being examined, I was informed that you woke up. I immediately left everything and came here straight away. You fell asleep again during the examined. How are you now?” Mom asked me and I noticed for the first time that I was sitting upright in bed and had just spoken to my mother. I immediately try to move my hands and legs and suddenly it works again.

Tears of joy immediately ran from my eyes and I put my arms around my mom and hugged her very tightly against me. Mom did the same to me. It took a moment before it occurred to me that this might be a trick, that this wasn't my mom at all. So I pushed her away and looked closely at her. She looked exactly as I remembered on her. Not a day older than 5 years ago, when I last saw her.

"Mom, is that really you?" I asked her and she looked at me in amazement.

“Of course I am. How did you come up with this question?” She asked stunned.

“Because I haven't seen you in the last 5 years. How did we get back from the delta quadrant? What happened?” I asked excitedly and Mom looked at me with a frown.

"Kathy, honey please calm down and I'll tell you everything. Okay?" Mom asked me and I nodded my head.

"Good" said Mom, smiling warmly and gently at me. Just like she always did.

“The last time we saw each other 6 weeks ago. You came to Bloomington to say goodbye. You had just taken over Voyager as captain and you were on a mission. But you can't talk to me about that. You were just on your way to New Zealand to the penal colony. But your shuttle crashed before you got there. The reason for this is still unknown. You've been here in this hospital ever since. You had numerous internal and external injuries and your head was very badly injured, so the doctors put you into an artificial coma so that you could get well in peace and stress-free." Mom explained to me.

I listened quietly to her and the first part of what Mom told me was true. That's exactly what happened back then. Before I left for the penal colony in New Zealand to recruit Tom Paris for my mission, I had been to Bloomington to say goodbye to Mom. But my shuttle never crashed !!!!

And out of a spontaneous idea, I asked uncertainly. "Which year do we have?"

"2371" she replied without thinking about it for long.

2371??? It couldn't be. I closed my eyes and tried to think.

That couldn't be all! I had flown Voyager through the Delta Quadrant for the past 5 years to get home. And now I was back and Mom was telling me I crashed the shuttle before I could even start my mission? That was wrong. None of that was true. I was stranded in the Delta Quadrant with my crew and Voyager.

"Kathryn?" Asked Mom worried. "What is wrong?"

"I dont know. I ..., I ... but ... " I put my hands in front of my face and hid it in there. I had to think badly. What was going on here? It was all totally insane or crazy. Who would believe such a hair-ridden story? At least I don't. It went through my head.

“Honey, calm down. I think it will all clear up. OK?"

“Mom, you don't understand. I didn't crash the shuttle back then, I was in the penal colony in New Zealand and recruited Tom Paris. We flew to the Badlands with the Voyager to capture a Maquis rebel group. We were dragged into the Delta Quadrant by the caretaker, and Voyager is lost there. We have been on our way home for the past 5 years. I remember everything very clearly. So it couldn't have been the way you just told me. It just can't be. That will not do. That's impossible!” I explained to her desperately in a voice that was much too high-pitched, which even frightened me.

"Honey, please calm down." Mom asked me again and I let myself sink back into the pillows in frustration and desperation.

After a long moment of thought, I had to agree with my mom, or whoever that person was in front of me. The most important thing was to calm down and find out what had happened. The woman, whether she was my mom or not, certainly wasn't helping me figure it out. I had to find out on my own, and to do that I had to calm down and get out of the hospital.

"Mom, when can I be released from the hospital?" I asked curiously.

Mom looked at me confused and blinked her eyes briefly.

“I think you can leave the hospital at any time. Now that you have awakened again and all your motor skills have been restored and everything else has also been healed, nothing stands in the way of your discharge. Should I tell the doctor?” Mom asked me and I nodded my head eagerly at her. I couldn't wait to leave the hospital to finally find out what was going on.

"Good, I'll be right back." Mom said to me and left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

A short time later, Mom and I were sitting in a passenger shuttle. We flew home to Bloomington. I was given leave of absence from Starfleet and should not report to headquarters until 2 weeks later so that I could be assigned a new command.

Mom looked over at me every now and then and made sure I was okay. Every time I put on a smile and hoped that she would buy it from me. I wasn't sure if she really did.

Back in Bloomington, I locked myself in father's old office and sat at his desk. I quickly entered the code for the computer terminal and scoured the database.

And indeed the Voyager had flown without me and had arrested the rebel group in the Badlands and had returned to Earth as planned after three weeks.

The Maquis rebel group was arrested and Voyager and its crew were then sent on a new mission. Only a few crew members asked for a transfer.

After a few hours I found out that my old friend Tuvok, who had joined the rebel group as a secret agent, had returned to his previous post.

There I found him and luckily he had enough time to listen to me. I told him everything, right from the start, how we got into the Delta Quadrant, what adventures and missions we had there. What enemy species we had to fight against. I told him about the Borg, about Seven, even about my secret love for her and also about my last few minutes on Voyager before my reality had changed so rapidly.

He listened quietly the whole time and then thought about it for a long moment. I was afraid that he would say that I was crazy and that I should return for medical treatment. But no, my loyal old Tuvok stood by me and didn't think I was crazy in any way. Instead, he gave me a theory about what might have happened. And as calmly and logically as he explained his theory to me, it was more plausible and meaningful for me.

Tuvok considered that Seven, who as Borg knew about the knowledge of time travel, might have traveled back in time to prevent me from getting into the Delta Quadrant with the Voyager.

As logical as that sounded, it didn't really make sense to me. I asked Tuvok and he said that Seven had probably also loved me so much that she might not have wanted me to die in the Delta Quadrant on a simple outside mission. That she might want to save my life, just like I once did with her life when I freed her from the collective.

That made sense. But how useful was life without Seven? How should I be able to live with all the memories, of my actual timeline, of Seven, the Voyager and my crew?

Tuvok gave me his Vulcan unemotional look, but I knew that he had the greatest compassion for me and my situation. Before we ended our conversation, he gave me the hint that I should see if Seven had not changed her own timeline as well.

I thanked Tuvok for his advice and said goodbye to him in the hope that we would soon serve together again on a Starfleet spaceship.

After talking to Tuvok, I immediately searched the Starfleet databases and in fact found what I would never have considered if Tuvok hadn't brought it to my attention.

There she was, Annika Hansen, was 21 years old and had been the youngest scientist at the Daystrom Institute for the past three years, the most renowned research institute of the Federation on Galor IV.

According to the data in the database, Annika Hansen had grown up with her aunt Irene Hansen after her parents, who were exobiologists, left the Alpha Quadrant in 2355 and completely cut off contact with the Federation when they flew through the neutral zone in search of the Borg. After that you never heard from them again.

I sighed deeply because I knew what had happened to the Hansen back then. Only with the difference that this time they had left their daughter with their aunt.

Obviously Tuvok was right about his theory. That is why I wanted to get to know Annika Hansen better. In the picture that was looking at me from the computer terminal, she looked like Seven and yet so different. She was wearing a lab coat, glasses on her nose and she smiled warmly into the camera, her hair was loose and her skin tone was a delicate tan. Her eyes shone sky blue and her whole facial expression was rather playfully, happy and open. In other words, the exact opposite of Seven's often emotionless facial expressions that you could only interpret if you knew them better.


	4. Chapter 4

Just a few days later, after I had a heated discussion with Mom about wanting me to stay with her at Bloomington and rest there, I arrived at Galor IV.

I had rented a trip on a passenger freighter and the 3 day trip was very uneventful.

As soon as I arrived I looked for a place to stay and when I got it I made my way to the Daystrom Institute. I didn't know what exactly I wanted there, but it magically drew me there.

And as soon as I stood in front of the building, I also knew what had magically attracted me. It was Annika Hansen who, just a few moments after my arrival, stepped out of the institute building with some other people a few meters away. It was a small group of about 7-10 people and Annika was chatting happily with another woman while the group wandered to some picnic tables and sat there to have their lunch.

I quickly sat down on a nearby bench and watched Annika. She looked like Seven, only without implants. And yet she was so very different. She chatted animatedly with her colleagues, laughing and joking with them while she took turns eating their food.

I watched Annika throughout her lunch break and my thoughts became sadder and sadder. This is exactly what I had always wanted for Seven to be able to socialize freely and openly with the other crew members, just as Annika was doing. But I also knew that it would never have happened like that. Seven was completely different from Annika, she had experienced so much in her life and suffered a lot from what she had done as a Borg drone. The Borg had robbed her of her humanity and relearning everything that had to do with it had just been a very difficult task. But Seven had accepted the challenge and in less than 2 years had grown from an emotionless and robot-like drone to a young woman who no longer dismissed friendships within the crew as irrelevant and who tried to regain her humanity every day.

Seven ... I sighed deeply. If Tuvok's theory was correct, then I had died in the Delta Quadrant and Seven had changed our timeline so that we both had a second chance to build a new life. But how should I live without Seven and with all the memories about my timeline?

"Hello" a voice tore me out of my thoughts and I blinked confusedly at the person who spoke to me. It was Annika. While I was thinking about Seven and my chance for a new life, she had approached me unnoticed.

"Hello" I replied in surprise, still staring at her.

“I usually know everyone from the institute, but you're new, aren't you? I saw you earlier during lunch and thought it was a shame that you didn't join us. If you're new here, it's always a good opportunity to get to know the employees better during the lunch break.” Annika chatted cheerfully and I blinked at her again, confused.

"Uh, no. I don't work here.” I answered completely suprice and blushed. Annikas looked at me curiously.

"Oh, are you going on vacation here?" She asked further and I nodded to her.

"Yes, something like that." I answer and she smiles broadly at me.

“Galor IV isn't really a vacation planet. Can I have your hand?” She asked and I looked at her questioningly.

"Don't worry, I just wanted to write down a club for you where you can have a nice drink in the evening." she replied and I gave her my hand as if in a trance.

Annika's hand took my hand gently in hers and with a ballpoint pen she neatly wrote down an address. While she was holding my hand, an electric shock went through me and a warm feeling spread inside me. She was so close to me and I didn't know what to make of it. I loved Seven and now her younger self was standing in front of me and had spoken to me. So completely unexpected. I had never intended to get to know Annika personally. I just wanted to see her for real once and that should have been it. No more.

After Annika had written down the address for me, she held my hand for a moment longer than was necessary, but that was more than okay with me. But then she let go of my hand again. And it immediately made me sad.

“Maybe we'll see each other there one day. I'd be pleased. Unfortunately, I have to go back to my work. I wish you a pleasant stay here on Galor IV.” She said kindly.

"Thank you." I replied and when she left me alone again, I watched her go on until she disappeared into the institute building.

Then I looked at the address. Annika's handwriting was so clear and neat. It immediately reminded me of Seven.

Seven ... sighing deeply, I got up from the bench and went back to my quarters and immediately booked a trip back to Earth for the next day. I had no business on Galor IV. I saw Annika and she seemed to be fine. I didn't have to know more.

But when I was sitting so completely alone in my room in the evening after taking a long walk in the afternoon and Annika and Seven just couldn't get out of my head, I decided to go to the club to distract myself and maybe to meet Annika.

Hoping not to be too out of place, I put on a green blouse and black pants. This time I left my hair under, which I was surprised again and again in the last few days by how long it was now, where I had worn it shoulder length in my actual timeline for at least 2 years.

The club was already well attended when I arrived. There was a stage with a live band playing music that I didn't really know and that I would otherwise probably never hear. Some people danced on the dance floor to the gentle rhythms. I passed them and sat down at the bar. The bartender gave me a friendly look and winked at me.

"What can I get you?" He asked friendly and I looked at him helplessly. I hadn't been to a club in years and had no idea what to drink.

But before I could tell him that, a hand put on my shoulder and I winced in surprise. The person who belonged to the hand immediately sat down next to me and it was, how could it be otherwise, Annika. But wasn't that why I came here, hoping to meet her again?

“Nice that you are here. I'm glad to see you again. By the way, I'm Annika.” Annika said cheerfully and gave me her hand. I looked at her and couldn't help but admire her bright blue eyes that fixed me.

“Nice to see you again. I'm Kathryn.” I replied after I had found my language again.

“You haven't got anything to drink yet, may I invite you?” Annika asked and I nodded to her, because it occurred to me again that I still didn't know what to order for myself to drink.

"Where are you from?" She asked me curiously.

"From the earth." I replied and smiled at her. I didn't know myself why I was doing this, but it was somehow the easiest thing I could do. She radiated so much positive energy that it practically spread to me and also made me happy.

“From the earth, interesting. Where exactly?" She asked further.

“My ancestors are Irish and I grew up in Blommington, Indiana. Does that mean something to you?” I asked curiously and Annika shook her head.

"No, only so much that it is in former America. How about an Irish whiskey for you?” She asked and I started to grin broadly at her. That was a really good idea.

"Yes, very much and very attentive of you." I replied and Annika's smile grew even bigger and her cheek got a slight blush. My god what am I doing here?

"James please give us an Irish whiskey for the lady here and for me, the usual one." Annika asked the bartender and he immediately took a bottle from a shelf and felt a glass for Kathryn and then he prepared a cocktail for Annika.

While the bartender was putting the drinks in front of us, the live band started a new song and suddenly Annika's eyes lit up a little more.

"This is my favorite song. Would she do me the honor and dance with me?” Annika asked excitedly and I just looked at her confused.

"Oh please, just this one song." She asked me again and for some reason that I couldn't name myself, I nodded and immediately she took my hand in hers and led me to the dance floor. I looked around worried, but suddenly I realized that everyone else on the dance floor were also female couples. I looked at Annika questioningly and somehow she smiled very sweetly at me.

"Ladys Night" she whispered in my ear as she pulled me very close to her body, put her right hand on my hip and her left hand on my shoulder.

"Ah." I only said because I couldn't think of anything better at that moment, while I also put my hands on her body and we slowly began to move towards the song.

Annika hummed the song softly and I found that pretty enchanting. After the song was over we danced on to the next song and I don't know why, but I enjoyed it a lot and Annika didn't seem to want to let go of me either. So we stayed on the dance floor even after the third song.

When the fourth song began, Annika, who had leaned her head on my head for most of the time, eased away from me and I looked at her in amazement. Her eyes were dilated a bit and her pupils were dark colored. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were open. She looked me in the eyes first and then at my mouth before gently stroking my cheek with her hand and her thumb touching and running over my lips.

My heart jumped and suddenly began to pound like crazy and my thoughts were racing. But before Annika could bend down to me and put her lips on my lips, we were suddenly pulled apart by someone else. The interruption came so quickly that I couldn't immediately realize it, and after Annika's gaze, it seemed like her.

"Annika, are you crazy? What are you doing here? And above all, what was that supposed to be?” A woman screamed angrily at Annika as she pulled Annika away from me.

Annika looked at me startled and then over to the woman.

"Margo?" Asked Annika, blinking, and looked at this woman speechless.

While the two exchanged looks, Margo's looks clearly being hostile, my head quickly began to assess the situation. When I realized that I was in a very precarious situation, I turned around and fled the club.

Annika called me from behind and followed me. Before I could step out the door of the club, she caught up with me and put a hand on my arm.

“Kathryn, it's not that what you might think. Please let me explain it to you.” She asked me and I blinked at her.

“No, don't bother. It's OK. Farewell Annika.“ I said and finally turned around and hurried down the street in the direction of my accommodation. I didn't look around, but went on and on until I was back in my room and collapsed on my bed crying and exhausted.

I had met Annika. Even more, I danced tightly with her for almost 4 songs and almost let me kiss. What on earth had gotten into me? Why did I dance with her? She was so young and she wasn't Seven.

Seven, was the woman I had been in love with for 2 years and I had lost her. There were no Seven in this timeline. There was Annika. But Annika wasn't Seven. She was what Seven could have become if she hadn't been assimilated as a child.

And, what occurred to me much later that night, which was pretty tragic in view of that, was that I was still engaged to Mark Johnson in that timeline. How could I have forgotten? Why hadn't I thought of him since I woke up?

Probably because he wasn't there in my normal timeline. He had informed me at the time that he had gone further, that he had fallen in love again and then married this woman too. Yes exactly. That's why I forgot him. But in this timeline we were still engaged. We were, weren't we? Damn it, I had to find out and forget what almost happened between Annika and me. Yes, that would be the best.

The next day I boarded the passenger freighter and flew back to Earth.


	5. Chapter 5

After I returned to Earth, the first thing I did was part with Mark Johnson. He was a nice and friendly man, but after I had let go of him emotionally 2 years ago in my actual timeline, it felt wrong to stay with him.

Then I reported back to active duty. Since Voyager was assigned to a different captain when I was in the hospital in a coma, I didn't have a spaceship to command.

So I was assigned to the USS Manticore as first officer. Captain James Landen, who was in his sixties, intended to resign and retire soon. Starfleet had thus killed two birds with one stone. For one thing, I was under supervision and you could see if I still had the makings of an executive after my accident and, for another, they would have a new captain for the USS Manticore when Captain James Landen retired.

Over the next 6 months I got to know the USS Manticore and its crew and got to know the spaceship inside and out. Unlike the USS Voyager, it now had 27 decks instead of 15 decks and a capacity of 300 star fleet officers, a research team of 30 scientists and around 145 civilians on board. At the beginning it was strange for me to have so many civilians, including many family members, on board and to take responsibility for them.

As a first officer, I quickly learned to appreciate that the main responsibility lay with Captain Landen and not yet with me. But I was afraid of the time when the responsibility would be completely transferred to me.

On the Voyager I was responsible for a maximum of 147 crew members and it was a very big responsibility, considering that we were stranded in the Delta Quadrant on our way home to the Alpha Quadrant. We, my crew and I had faced many dangers together and well, I had died in the Delta Quadrant. So I failed.

And now soon to take on the responsibility for a spaceship with about 500 people on board, I didn't like it very much, although I was looking forward to this new challenge. I was torn and didn't get on really well with it.

Therefore I went to the Conselor of the USS Manticore very quickly and in many conversations with Conselor Mora Winston, in which I revealed more and more of what I had always hated, I gradually felt equal to my new task.

Of course, I never told her that I actually had memories of a different timeline. Had I mentioned it, they might have declared me crazy and advised Starfleet against giving me command of the USS Manticore.

During my service, I was highly focused and, as Seven would say, handled my new duties as first officer efficiently. But after my service, my memories of Seven, Voyager, my crew, the time in the Delta Quadrant and also the brief encounter with Annika flooded me.

I did a lot to distract myself from it, like exercise, and so on some evenings I fell limp and drained into my bed and almost instantly fell asleep dreamlessly. But there were also many nights with dreams of what was then, robbed my nerves and made me sleep poorly. In those dreams I was repeatedly attacked by the animal on this godless planet that we had last explored. I felt it sink its teeth into my flesh and bite me. I saw Seven, her cheeks stained with tears, who held my hand and begged me to hold on and fight for my life. I saw her and how it hurt her to see me like this. I saw her pain and it hurt me more than what the animal had done to me.

From these dreams I often woke up sweaty and with a loud scream. I then wrapped my arms around myself and cried. I wept for my loss, for Seven and for what could have been if I had only let it happen. If only I had ever told her how much she meant to me and how important she was to me. But no, I had been so determined to bring my crew and my spaceship home that I did not allow any romantic feelings and could never live them out with the only person I adored and loved so much. I was such an idiot.

And now I was alone. Except for Tuvok, there was no one left to talk to about all of this.

Before Captain Landen handed over his command to me, I had made a number of requests to recruit my crew in various positions. So I had applied for Tom Paris to be released from the New Zealand penal colony and to take up the post as a pilot under my supervision. Fortunately, this application was granted after I presented several concepts of rehabilitation for Tom Paris.

Furthermore, I wanted B'Elanna, Chakotay and a few other maquirebels, who were also part of my Voyager crew at the time, to join my new crew. Starfleet was very surprised at this request and checked everything very carefully. Unfortunately, most of my applications were rejected. But it also happened more because the Maquis didn't trust me and couldn't imagine working with me on a Federation spaceship and obeying the rules of Starfleet.

I was hoping that Chakotay could become my first officer again, but he was with one of those who refused. I was all the more astonished, but delighted, when I was able to recruit B'Elanna. Of course, I couldn't make her my chief engineer in the engine room right away. But at some point, the opportunity would arise, I was very sure.

So when I took command of the Manticore, I had Tuvok as head of security, Tom as pilot and B'Elanna by my side. I had hoped for more former crew members to join my new crew, but with the three family members of the Voyager crew by my side, I was very happy.

My first mission as captain of the Manticore was to fly in the direction of the Gamma Quadrant and let the science team, which had also been renewed when I took over command, do research wherever they found something they needed to advance their research bring.

As soon as B'Elanna and Tom came on board, I had them both come to my ready room and informed them about the probation requirements that both had to comply with if they wanted to work on my ship. I offered both of them a promotion if they behaved perfectly and according to Starfleet protocols within the next 6-12 months. means to obey the chain of command and follow.

Tom was more than happy with it and didn't question anything. But B'Elanna just looked at me skeptically and wanted to know why I wanted her in my crew of all people.

Since I had always admired B'Elanna's clear and intelligent mind, I sent Tom out of my ready room and then told B'Elanna about my timeline, in which she was my chief engineer on Voyager and that she had my complete confidence at the time. As I told her all of this and more, she listened quietly to me. In the end she just looked at me and then shook her head and said that was the craziest story she had ever heard. But that she couldn't imagine that someone like me could have come up with something like that. With a big smile, she gave me her hand and assured me that she would follow me as best she could. I thanked her and assured her that I wouldn't screw up her trust in me, whereupon I got a loud laugh from her.

For a brief moment I felt comfortable and as if I were at home in my timeline. Unfortunately, that moment didn't last and passed too quickly. Before B'Elanna left, however, I took her in my arms and hugged her tightly to me. She looked at me in amazement afterwards, but nodded to me and left me with a smile.


	6. Chapter 6

As captain of the Manticore, I didn't have time to get to know all the new crew members and the new team of scientists in the first days of my new command.

Only after we flew to Deep Space Nine with the Manticore and jumped through the wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant did I finally have time to get to know the science team. But that was a big mistake that immediately took revenge. Because suddenly, the only person I had expected never to see again stood in front of me and reached out her hand to me with a big smile on her face.

"Annika?" I asked softly and blinked at her confused.

“Captain Janeway, it's nice that you are visiting us in our science laboratory. Would you like a tour?” Annika asked with a friendly smile and after I hadn't taken her hand, she let it drop again.

"No, I would like to speak to you alone for a moment." I said a bit too violently, which is why some of the heads of the other scientists who were also present in the laboratory rose and looked at us curiously.

"Yeah, sure. My office is right over there.” Said Annika and proceeded a little insecurely. As soon as I was in her office, she closed the door and looked at me questioningly.

I looked at her for a long moment. The way she stood there in front of her locked door, nibbling her lower lip and looking at me with that look, she reminded me of the way she had looked at me back then, right before we kissed. I quickly chased these thoughts out of my head, swallowed the lump that was in my throat and tried to concentrate on the here and now.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her softly.

“I'm the head of the science team.” Annika explained, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. But it wasn't. She was far too young to take on the leadership and responsibility of a thirty-person science team.

"I didn't mean that and I think you know that. I mean, why are you on my spaceship right now?" I asked her again calmly.

Annika sighed deeply and took a step away from the office door and thus a step towards me, pulling her lab coat tighter around her body and crossing her arms together in front of her upper body.

“I have no idea what you mean exactly. But I applied for this job about a year ago. I didn't care which spaceship I worked on or who the captain was. So my being here has nothing to do with you, if that's what you meant to imply. If you just showed up here, I had no idea that you were the captain.” Annika assured me and looked at me with a pout.

"Why are you so angry with me that I'm here on board?" She asked me confused and took another step towards me. We were now about an arm's length apart. She was so close to me and just like 6 months ago, she magically attracted me with her being. So I took a step back as a precaution and looked at her seriously.

"Because I can't take responsibility for you." I replied heatedly and without thinking about it much. Annika raised her eyebrow and looked at me speechless and then frowned.

“You don't have to take responsibility for me. I can take care of myself very well!” Said Annika and looked at me rather angry.

“I am the captain, I am automatically responsible for everyone who is on my spaceship. It doesn't matter whether he or she can take care of himself or not.“ I replied with a sigh and Annika’s facial expression softened and she closed the distance between us and entered my personal area.

"Why are you so upset with me?" She asked me gently and took my hand in her hand and held it gently. My eyes wandered to our locked hands and then to Annika's face. Her eyes looked at me curiously and practically demanded a logical answer to her question.

"Because I ..., I can ..., I just can't do my work efficiently on a spaceship with you." I replied hesitantly.

“That doesn't make sense to me. Please explain it to me in more detail.” Annika asked in a low voice.

I sighed deeply again and took my hand from her hand and stepped away from her, towards the office door.

“Back then in the club, we would almost have kissed, would this other woman not have shown up. As a captain, I can't afford to be distracted.” I told her while I turned my back and stared at the office door.

“Ah, that's what bothers you?” Annika asked me and put her hand on my shoulder and I turned back to her.

“If that's your problem with me and you think that's why I'm here on your spaceship, then I can reassure you. That's not the case. You are welcome to check when I applied for the job for the science team and then you will see that it had nothing to do with you and that it was at least over a year ago. And in case you don't know, back then you only gave me your first name, not your full name. So how should I know that you are the captain here?” Annika asked logically and I had to admit that she was right.

“I can also tell you that I take my job very seriously and that I definitely don't have time to make romantic advances for you while I'm here. Does that calm you down? If not, how about we just avoid each other during the coming months?” She asked me, but this time her tone had taken on a clearly irritated expression.

I looked at Annika speechless and then nodded to her.

"Agreed." I just said and left her office almost in a hurry and hurried out of the science laboratory.

At the next junction in the corridor I leaned against the bulkhead and had to pause for a moment.

Damn it!!! Why did Annika have to be on my spaceship? I had thought of her, and Seven, almost every day for the past few months. And only knowing that she was safely working on Galor IV at the Daystrom Institute had reassured me. But now she was here and our mission took us for a whole year into the Gamma Quadrant, where only God knew the dangers lurking there. Crap!!! Damn it!!!


	7. Chapter 7

For the next three months, Annika and I avoided each other. Which wasn't difficult because the manticore was big enough to make sure we didn't run into each other.

My first officer, Commander Shelby, had taken on the task of dealing with the science team and fulfilling their requests, requests, and needs. Which meant that the science team set the course and we flew them to where they wanted to go.

While the science team took samples on the different planets and also examined various things, we made first contacts, exchanged information and traded with the different species we met on our way.

Overall, everything was very calm and harmonious, but from a feeling, it made me rather restless. It was like the calm before the storm. And the storm could start at any time. So my nerves had been more than tense for a few days.

And in fact, just a few days later, exactly what I had feared for 3 months happened. The away team, consisting of 5 scientists, including Annika and 3 security officers, were buried in a mountain cave. The rescue was difficult and takes a long time. All this time, I prayed fervently that Annika would survive and negotiated all kinds of deals with God so that he would answer my prayers.

I was totally beside myself and my bridge crew mostly avoided me because I spoke harshly to everyone who crossed my path. My first officer, Commander Shelby, sent me to my ready room and said I needed a little rest. I looked at him with my deathly look, but he stood firm. He was right, I was terrible and irritable. So I patted him on his arm, nodded to him and told him that he was in charge.

With a well-meaning smile he nodded to me and I went into my ready room. But even there I couldn't calm down. So I paced restlessly back and forth and waited impatiently for the relieving news that all members of the away team had been safely saved.

But for many hours this news did not come and the more time passed, the more hopeless and desperate I became. My nerves were tense like a wire.

When my door buzzer rang, it was completely over to my nerves.

I called "Come in" and when Commander Shelby entered, I looked at him expectantly.

"Is there anything new?" I asked him immediately, but he shook his head.

"What then?" I asked, visibly annoyed that he had bothered me.

“It's lunchtime, my wife and my two boys are waiting for me. So I wanted to ask if it is acceptable that I can hand over the command to Tuvok.” He asked me and I blinked at him in surprise. I didn't know that he was on the spaceship with his family. Earlier in my actual timeline I had known a lot about my crew members and nowadays, I didn't seem to know anything. What happened to me?

"Do you have your family on board?" I asked surprised and he nodded to me.

"Yes, Captain." he replied dutifully.

"Are you not afraid that something could happen to your family on our trip?" I asked curiously.

“I'm the first officer and you are a good captain, the two of us and the entire crew are doing their best to ensure that nothing happens to our families. No, my fear is within normal limits. My family gives me enough strength and courage every day to do my work dutifully and efficiently. If my wife and my two boys weren't on board, I would be worried about them and would no longer be able to work efficiently. May I say goodbye for lunch?” He asked again and I nodded to him.

“Yes, of course, and please forgive me for not knowing that your family is on board. Go ahead, I'll take over the command. The bridge crew will probably be very annoyed by it." I explained and he gave me a big smile.

"Thank you, Captain." He turned around and went to the door. There he stopped and looked back at me one more time.

"Captain, may I speak openly?" He asked and I nodded to him.

“I am aware that there is one person on the away team who means a lot to them and I understand their concern and fear for this person. I hope that everyone will be saved and that everyone is fine."

“Thank you, that's very kind of you. But the person I care about is not related to me.” I replied without thinking about it.

"Why not?" Asked Commander Shelby and I frowned at him.

“I'm the captain, I can't allow myself any distractions if I want to ensure the well-being of the crew and their family members. Also, it is forbidden to enter into a relationship with anyone under my command.“ I said seriously and he looked at me with wide eyes.

“But the scientists are not under their command, and it is not a distraction to be in a relationship with someone privately, that is, off-duty. It's not a weakness, but rather a strength when you have the ones you love with you because you always try to do your best to make sure they stay safe.” Commander Shelby told me.

But I shook my head.

“Right now at this moment, the only person who means very much to me is buried and I am acting like a fury and am very rude to my bridge crew and everyone else present. So I'm not a very good captain at the moment, and that's only because I'm worried about her and can no longer think clearly. For me, it's a huge distraction from my work. Don't you agree?” I asked and now it was his turn to frown at me.

"You're right. But at the moment we are in an exceptional situation. How often does it happen that an away team is in as much danger as it happened today? In my opinion this is rather rare. And that is why renouncing love seems very reprehensible to me.” He replied and then said goodbye to me.

Hmm ... he was partly right, but I was stranded in the Delta Quadrant, I had often seen an outside mission go wrong there and there were wounded or even dead. Here in the Gamma Quadrant it was quieter at the moment, but it was also an unknown area and there were countless dangers that we were not even aware of. It could be very dangerous at any time.

And for my taste, I found it very reprehensible to take your family on a one-year mission to unknown territory. So how could I approve of it or get myself to let Annika approach me? How could I risk loving her when I could lose her anytime? I had already lost Seven and my crew and my entire timeline. I couldn't take it to lose more. No, it was impossible to let Annika into my life. It was bad enough that she was on my spaceship and it was even worse not knowing how she was doing and when she could be saved. Damn it!!! Annika was so far in my heart and my thoughts that she was already preventing me from doing my work efficiently.


	8. Chapter 8

"Captain? The away team has just been rescued and is now in the infirmary.” Commander Shelby announced over his communicator.

“Thank you, Kommander. I'm on the way to the infirmary.” I replied and hurriedly left my ready room and ran to the next turbolift, which immediately took me to the infirmary.

Before entering the infirmary, I took a deep breath and tried to prepare for whatever I would find there. My mind had already come up with a number of bad scenarios while the rescue operation lasted over 12 hours.

With my shoulder straightened, I entered the infirmary, which was very busy. Unlike the Voyager, the Manticore had 3 doctors, 10 nurses and two Type 1 medical holographic emergency programs. It was strange to me when one of them stood in front of me and what my doctor from Voyager looked like.

I blinked at him, confused, until I remembered that the MHN had been integrated into each spaceship for at least 3 years before they were retired because they were inefficient and complicated.

“Report!” I demanded immediately and he replied dutifully.

“Most of the away team got away with minor injuries. Only two people were seriously injured. You are currently being operated on.” He said completely emotionless and then turned away from me and back to his tasks.

I was about to ask him which people were so badly injured when I saw Annika sitting upright on a biobed in the back of the infirmary. My tension eased immediately and I thanked God for hearing my prayers. I was relieved to see her.

Her face was dirty, her clothes were torn and stained in places, and her hair was tangled and partly covered with blood. Obviously from the injury she sustained over her left eye. The injury was just examined by a nurse and then healed with a skin generator.

Annika had closed her eyes during the procedure. But when I stepped closer to her, she opened her eyes and looked at me. Her crystal blue eyes, which usually shone so brightly and reminded me of Seven most, now looked very tired at me. After a brief moment, she closed her eyes again and her pale, dirty face twisted as the nurse examined her arm.

“Her arm is broken, I'm going to get a bone regenerator so I can heal her arm. I'll be right back with you.” Said the nurse to Annika and Annika only nodded.

I went to Annika at the bio bed and looked at her quietly. Then I put my hand on her right arm, which looked unharmed. Annika opened her eyes in surprise and looked at me exhausted.

"Exactly, that's why I didn't want you to work on my spaceship, because I couldn't stand it if something happened to you." I said softly and tears ran down my cheek. Tears of joy and relief that Annika had survived the whole thing and was only slightly injured.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks with one hand while Annika looked at me confused. Before she could say anything, I hurried out of the infirmary. Only when I was in my quarters did I allow myself to vent my heartache and grief.

*******************************

For the next few days I avoided Annika again, almost daily asking the computer once or twice about what she was doing and how she was. Except for the fact that she worked a lot and for a long time, she seemed to be fine.

But I was wrong.

When I heard my door buzzer a few days later in the evening, I immediately thought it was Seven who, as so often, wanted to philosophize with me late at night. But I remembered too quickly where I was and that it couldn't be Seven. I sighed wistfully, put the blanket that I had put over my legs aside, got up from the couch and headed for the door.

Since there was no one on the Manticore except B'Elanna and Tuvok who would visit me privately, I guessed Tuvok, since B'Elanna and I had today eaten lunch.

She had told me that something was slowly developing between Tom and her, although she wanted to be more careful. I smiled at her and wished her all the best. I already knew that the two would make a good couple. At least that was how it was in my timeline. So I had more or less subtly coupled them up over the past 3 months.

I was all the more surprised that it was Annika who was standing in front of my door and looking at me with a serious, pale and very tired face and waiting for me to invite her in. She was still wearing her lab coat, which she had wrapped tightly around her slim body. Her arms were crossed over her torso and she looked at me very lost. She said nothing, but there was so much sorrow on her face that you could tell immediately.

"Annika" I said, shocked, and immediately asked her to come to my quarters.

She entered with slow steps, but stopped near the door. She looked around my living room uncertainly while I looked closely at her from the side.

“Would you like a drink?” I asked to break the awkward silence that lay over us.

Annika shook her head and then looked at the floor.

"OK. Would you like to tell me why you came here?” I asked while I sat on my couch and continued to look at her worried.

She remained silent for a long time, but then she lifted her head and looked straight at me.

“I have dreams or memories, I don't know exactly. These burden me. I don't know who to talk to about it.” She said softly and desperately.

I looked at her compassionately, as I was often plagued by nightmares myself and therefore knew how burdensome they could be. I quickly got up from the couch and walked over to her.

"What are these dreams or memories?" I asked, leading her to my couch and gently pressing her on it. Then I sat down next to her and put my hand on her arm to encourage her to keep talking.

“It started in the cave when we were buried. I think they were memories that I had forgotten or repressed over the years. Only when I was trapped in the dark did these images collapse on me and I didn't know whether I was awake or whether I was sleeping and dreaming." Annika explained to me, looking so desperate and vulnerable that it broke my heart, to see her like that. So I took the blanket and wrapped it around Annika's body, who was trembling slightly. She looked at me gratefully and gave me a brief smile.

"Please tell me what kind of pictures, dreams or memories these are." I asked her gently. Annika pulled her legs onto the couch and snuggled into the corner of the couch with the blanket together.

“Lightning and thunder. I woke up from my sleep and bright lightning flashed outside my window. They scared me and I got scared. I ran into my parents' bedroom to hide from the lightning and thunder with them. But my parents weren't there and I started looking for them all over the house. I didn't find they, no matter where I looked for they. I tried to turn the light on but it didn't work. Fearful, I sat in a corner and began to cry.” While Annika was talking, I listened carefully and made myself comfortable at the other end of the couch.

"Suddenly two hands stretched out towards me and a low voice said to me that I no longer have to be afraid. That she would be with me and protect me until my parents were back. There was a woman in front of me. I couldn't see her clearly because it was dark in the room. She took me in her arms and carried me back to my room and laid me on my bed and covered me. Then she sat down with me and I buried my head in her lap when the next thunder and lightning roared loudly in front of my window. She stroked my hair and head lightly and gently over and over to calm me down. As I slowly calmed down, she started telling me a story. She told me about a little girl that was just what I was. From their parents and from a long journey with a small spaceship to an unknown area of space. She told me about terrible men who came and captured the girl and her parents. The girl lived a long time with these horrible men. Until a captain came with her spaceship, rescued her, took her with him and showed her how to become human again." Annika said softly, while she had almost crawled into the ceiling. Then she stopped and looked at me perturbed.

"In my dreams, there is always that moment when the lightning in front of my window lights up my dark room and I can look at the woman who told me this whole story. And every time she looks like me. Since some nights I have this dream over and over and it stays the same. I don't understand why I dream something like that? "Annika asked me desperately and I looked at her speechless.

My heart was pounding wildly and a subtle pain began to spread in my chest that clasped my heart like a hand and seemed to squeeze it together. Seven had been with Annika and told her her story. I tried several times to take a deep breath and pull enough of it into my lungs. But I didn't succeed. Annika looked at me worried and pulled the covers off her body and crawled over to me.

"Kathryn, are you not okay?" She asked anxiously and I shook my head.

Then Annika got up quickly and replicated a glass of water, which she pressed into my hand right away. I greedily took a sip and had to admonish myself to swallow it slowly.

"Should I call a doctor?" She asked desperately, but I shook my head again and just concentrated on letting the water in my mouth slowly run down my throat. After finally swallowing the water, I concentrated on my heart beating wildly. It hurt less and I could take a deep breath again. When I had recovered, I could look at Annika again.

She still looked at me worried and helpless.

"I'm fine again. Thank you. Please tell on. What exactly is it that weighs you down in the dream? That the woman looked like you?” I asked her gently.

Annika shook her head.

“No, that's not exactly what's bothering me. But that the woman who looks like me, so infinitely sad and hopeless. When she had told me everything about the many adventures and her love for her captain, she opened something in her forehead and when she had taken out the thing that was hidden in it, she dissolved. Only the thing that was left on my bed was left of her. I still have it. Here, see ... “Annika held out her hand to me and opened it.

When I saw Seven's inactive cortical knot in Annika's hand, my tears began to run down my cheeks. With a shaky hand, I took the cortical knot from Annika's hand and pressed it to my chest.

That was the only thing left of my Seven.

Annika looked at me confused and questioning.

"What's this? And why are you holding onto it as if it were the most important thing in your life? Please tell me.” She asked and I shook my head. I wiped away my tears with one hand while my other hand continued to hold the only thing that was left of Seven.

"The woman who visited you and told you this story was Seven, my great love and it wasn't a dream, she really was with you." I managed to get out with a shaky, rough voice.

Annika looked at me with big astonished eyes and was speechless.

We sat so quietly on the couch for a very long moment and each of us was lost in his own thoughts. I mourned my lost love and Annika had cuddled up in the blanket again, crawled into the corner of the couch and looked thoughtfully with an empty look at a point on the floor. I was grateful to her that she didn't bombard me with all sorts of questions and that she let me calmly organize my thoughts and feelings.

After a long moment in which I had thought about what to tell Annika and what not, I sighed deeply and began to tell.

“We were on an away mission. It was a Class M planet, at an early stage of development in the Delta Quadrant. The planet was uninhabited and there was actually nothing that could have been dangerous. But then I was bitten by an animal. It wasn't a big animal and it actually looked quite cute. But the bite got infected and the doctor found that a virus had gotten into my body. I quickly got worse and worse. I developed a high fever, my skin burned, I couldn't get enough air, my heart ached, and I lost control of my body more and more and my organs seemed to gradually stop functioning. The doctor was trying to come up with a cure, and Seven wanted the doctor to use her nanoprobes for me so they could fight the virus. But whatever the doctor did, whatever the cure he used or how many nanoprobes he injected into me, nothing could stop this virus. The last time I saw Seven she pleaded with me not to die, to be strong for her, for the crew and for myself. She was so desperate, I honestly had never seen her like this. It broke my heart to see her like this. But I was so tired and tired of fighting on. So I closed my eyes and slipped in a pleasant darkness. I think at that moment I died." I said with a rough, scratchy voice and Annika, who had been listening to me the whole time, looked at me in shock.

After that was out, I told Annika everything that had happened afterwards. How I woke up in the hospital on earth. Didn't know where I was. Still owned all of my memories of my previous life. I told her about my search for answers and how I found Tuvok in the process. What theory Tuvok had after I told him everything and how he got me to look for her in this timeline.

At that moment Annika sat up in surprise, raised her hand and stopped me in my story.

“The first time I saw you sitting on the bench in front of the Daystrom Institute, I was immediately drawn to you. You looked so familiar to me, but I didn't know where I knew you from. But now I know again. "Annika explained and hit her forehead lightly.

“Seven showed me a drawing by her captain that night. That was you! She told me so much about you, practically everything." Said Annika and looked at me astonished.

"I ..., I was thinking the whole time about how I know you, why I feel so good and safe around you and why it made me so sad that you didn't want me on the Manticore. And I've knew you all my life, I just forgot all these years.” Annika explained and looked at me with flushed cheeks.

“But why did she come to me? What did all this have to do with me and why did you come to Galor IV?” Asked Annika, but in the next moment she looked at me with wide eyes and opened her mouth to close it again shortly afterwards. Shortly afterwards, however, she opened it again and ...

"Aaaaah ... I'm Seven or Seven was once me. Or?” Asked Annika and looked at me questioningly.

I nodded my head.

“Yes, in my original timeline, your parents took you on their journey when they were looking for the Borg to study. They found the Borg, but they and you were assimilated by them. You became Seven of Nine, that was your Borg name back then. This ... “ I opened my hand and showed Annika the cortical knot.

"... is all I have left of Seven. It is her cortical node, on which all her knowledge and memories are stored. May I keep it? ”I asked hopefully and Annika looked at my hand and the cortical knot in it for a long moment.

“I've had it with me all my life, but I couldn't remember where I got it from and I didn't know what it was either. It had always been a kind of good luck charm for me. Something to protect me. I don't know if I can live without it. But I'm ready to try.” Said Annika and smiled gently at me.

"Thank you. Maybe we can share it?” I asked and Annika's smile widened.

“That would require that we no longer avoid each other and that we might have to become friends. Or?" Asked Annika carefully and looked at me hopefully.

"Hm ... yeah, it might mean that." I said with a smile.

Annika smiled back at me and her pale face had a slight pink flush. It looked pretty cute, I thought. But then her expression changed and she thought for a moment.

“Seven had told me a lot about you, but also that you both were never in a relationship. Why wasn't it you both, where you both apparently loved each other so much?” Annika asked suddenly and I sighed deeply before answering her.

“I was the captain, we were stranded in the Delta Quadrant about 30,000 light years from home, and my job was to get my spaceship and crew home safely. I shouldn't allow myself to be distracted from my responsibilities. In addition, Seven was subordinate to me and according to Starfleet Protocol, a captain is not allowed to get involved with anyone from his crew. Because of this, and also because I didn't know that Seven felt the same for me as I did for her, we had never gotten together. We were captains and crew members on duty and friends in our free time. Nothing more.” I explained to Annika sadly and she looked at me sympathetically.

"And now, is it similar between us, isn't it?" She asked and I nodded my head to her.

"Yes, the situation is almost the same as it was back then." I said tired and exhausted.

"I see." Said Annika, wrapping herself out of the blanket and getting up from the couch.

"I'd better leave you alone now. It's late and I have a lot that I have to deal with first. Good night Kathryn.“ She said sadly and went to the door.

"Good night Annika." I said softly. Then she went and left me alone.


	9. Chapter 9

After this conversation I didn't avoid Annika anymore. But since she had a lot to do with her research project and I, as captain, was practically always on call, we only saw each other very rarely and only from afar.

I saw her most of all in the observation lounge, which had almost the same function as the measuring hall on the Voyager. Once a week I had an appointment with B'Elanna for lunch.

When I saw Annika there for the first time, about 2 weeks had passed since our conversation. To my delight, I quickly found that she seemed to be doing better. She looked much healthier in the face again and her smile and happiness had returned.

She was sitting with a small group of five at a table nearby. While they were having lunch together, she chatted exuberantly with the others. She hadn't noticed me yet, which honestly gave me a little stab in my heart.

"Is that her?" B'Elanna asked me curiously when I stopped telling her about the latest bridge rumors as soon as I discovered Annika.

"Yes, she is." I just said and sighed softly.

“Oh, she looks cute. But if she is the one I think she is, then she is hooking up with Ensign Godhard.” Reported B'Elanna and thus drew my attention again.

"What?" I asked her confused and blinked at her.

“Yes, at least I heard Ensign Godhard tell Ensign Study that he had a date with a pretty and young scientist, which was probably very promising. And let's be honest, there is only one person in the entire science team who fits this description, ”explained B'Elanna as she pushed the next bite of her lunch into her mouth.

"Hm ... well, she is young and single, so she can meet with anyone she wants." I replied and also pushed a bite of my food into my mouth. But somehow lunch had stopped tasting to me. So I pushed it away and preferred to take a sip of my coffee.

"Right." Replied B'Elanna and looked at me sympathetically. Exactly at this moment Annika looked up from her meal and happened to meet my gaze. Immediately a big smile formed on her face and she nodded gently to me. I looked at her puzzled for a moment, but then nodded back to her.

To my amazement, she got up from the table and came over to B'Elanna and me.

"Hello Captain, nice to see you. I don't want to bother you for long either, just ask how our thing is doing?” Annika asked and B'Elanna looked at her with a frown.

“Annika, it's nice to see you again. Do you already know B´Elanna Torres? She's the second chief in the engine room.” I said and introduced the two of them to each other.

“No, but I am pleased to meet you. A friend of mine works in your department and he is incredibly proud of what he has learned from you over the past few months. He speaks of you in great admiration.” replied Annika and B'Elanna and I looked at them speechless.

"Oh, is that so? May I ask who your boyfriend is? Maybe I can take him under my wing and teach him even more.” Said B'Elanna and Annika looked at her beaming.

“He would definitely like that very much. It's Ensign Godhard.” Annika explained and my mood sank to the lowest point. The rumors that B'Elanna had just told me were true.

“Oh Ensign Godhard, yes he is a very hard-working and clever employee. I'll see what I can do for him. But don't you worry that he'll get a lot more work and then have less free time?” Asked B'Elanna and Annika continued to smile sweetly at her.

"No, I think Ensign Godhard will not disturb the additional work, but really appreciate it, because he will learn a lot of important things through it." Annika replied and then looked at me.

"So how is our thing?" She asked me again and I blinked at her in surprise until I remembered what Annika was talking about.

“Oh, our common thing is fine. Would you like it back?” I asked kindly, although I was very reluctant to give up Seven's cortical knot.

“No, as long as you take care of it, it is in good hands. And to know that, that's enough for me." Said Annika and smiled warmly at me.

“Yes, I'll take good care of it. But if you want it again, just drop by. Okay?“ I asked and Annika nodded to me.

“Thank you, that's very kind of you, Captain. I have to go back. See you soon and I was happy to meet you B'Elanna Torres." Said Annika and held out her hand to B'Elanna. B'Elanna took it and gave it a light squeeze and grinned broadly at Annika.

"Yes, I was happy too." She said and then turned back to her meal while Annika went back to her table.

“Nice girl and her hand pressure is also not without. Would you like me to give Ensign Godhard so much additional work that he no longer sees any country and Annika has no more time for dates?” Asked B'Elanna and winked at me while she pushed another bite into her mouth.

"Oh no. Please don't do that. My heart belongs to Seven, even if she no longer exists in this timeline. I think it's good that she's hooking up with Ensign Godhard. I'm sure they make a cute couple.” I replied a little sarcastically and took another long sip of my coffee and practically hid behind my coffee cup.

"Okay as you like. Should I then keep you up to date on how things are going with the two of them?” Asked B'Elanna and grinned broadly at me.

"Good God no, please spare me that." I said and rolled my eyes, which made B'Elanna laugh.

"Okay, okay. I understand, as soon as I hear something new, I'll keep it from you.” She said and still grinned broadly at me.


	10. Chapter 10

For the next few weeks I saw Annika again and again in the observation lounge and whenever she saw me, she smiled warmly at me and nodded friendly. But there was no longer a conversation. Which I regretted very much, but I smiled gently back at her and nodded to her.

B'Elanna kept her word and did not share any new rumors about Annika and Ensign Godhard. Instead, she told me more about her relationship with Tom. I was happy that the two had finally become a couple.

And so life went on on the Manticore and before I knew it, another month had passed and Annika's birthday was imminent. I wondered for a long time whether I should recognize her birthday or just skip it.

I had only had one birthday with Seven. Far too little, which made me very sad. At that time I had invited Seven to stay at the holodeck and I prepared a picnic. Seven looked at me questioningly and wanted to know the reason. And when I told her that it was her birthday, she first looked at me in amazement and then rolled her eyes.

We celebrated birthdays all the time on Voyager as Neelix always wanted to raise crew morale whenever he felt it was necessary. So Seven had often been forced to attend some of these parties. And let's face it, she hated it, but she did it, for me. What I gave her credit for and found very valuable for her further development.

But since we only spent the afternoon alone in a clearing near a small lake and later went swimming together, Seven liked her birthday. Which made me very happy back then.

And although I didn't want to actively push myself into Annika's life, I found myself some time later on the way to her quarters. I just couldn't skip her and Seven's birthdays and pretend that day wouldn't happen.

After I pressed the door buzzer, the door opened for me very quickly. Annika looked at me surprised, but also very pleased.

“Kathryn, good to see you. Please come in. Um ... if I had known that you were coming, I would have put on something." She explained to me, embarrassed, but I smiled broadly at her, because the sight of her was very charming. She only wore a tank top and boxer shorts, otherwise her long legs and feet were bare.

"No inconveniences. I didn't want to disturb you, just bring this over here and congratulate you on your birthday." I replied and Annika looked at me with wide eyes.

"You know my birthday?" She asked surprised, but then she must have remembered why I knew that it was her birthday today.

"How stupid of me, surely you know my birthday, Seven's birthday is on the same day as me." Said Annika and looked at the present in my hand, which I handed over to her right away.

"May I open it right away?" She asked curiously and I nodded to her. While Annika opened her present, I glanced over Annika's quarters.

It was, well it took some getting used to. Physical and mathematical formulas were scribbled on the bulkheads, some clothes were scattered here and there and the houseplant in the corner clearly looked as if it absolutely needed water. Her bed, which was not in an extra room, but in the middle of the living room, was unmade and several books and data paddles were in front of it, on a messy pile.

“Oh Kathryn, the hair clip is beautiful. Thank you very much." Said Annika and gave me a warm hug.

Surprised, but very pleased, I hug her back too.

"I'm glad you like it, it was one of my favorite hair clips." I explained without thinking about it beforehand.

Annika frowned at me and handed me back the little box with the hair clip.

"Then I can't take it." she said, nibbling her lower lip.

I looked at her confused and raised my eyebrow.

"Why not?" I asked her surprised and also a bit disappointed.

“Well, because it's your favorite hair clip. I don't understand why you want to give it to me either. Explain it to me, please.” She said, while she sat comfortably on a chair near the sitting area and brought her legs into a cross-legged position while gesturing for me to sit down next to her.

“Well, that's easy to explain. You were so nice to let me have Sevens Cortical Knot, although it is very important to you too. In contrast, because you were so nice, I wanted to give you something that means a lot to me. I would like you to get the hair clip and wear it too.” I replied and handed her the small box back. Annika looked at me skeptically.

“Please Annika, accept her. You would give me great pleasure with it.” I asked her gently.

“If that is the case, then I am very happy to take she. Thank you very much." Said Annika, smiling warmly at me, before she leaned over and breathed a kiss on my cheek. I immediately blushed, or at least that's how it felt to me.

"May I ask you something?" I asked to hide my embarrassment.

"Yes sure. Ask me what you want."

“When I came here, I was afraid I would disturb you at your birthday party and now that I'm here, it seems to me that there won't be a birthday party at all. Why is that?” I asked straight out, because it worried me.

“Oh, I'm not celebrating my birthday this year. Maybe next year again.” Annika explained slightly and got up from her chair.

“I completely forgot to ask you if you would like something to drink. Would you like to toast my birthday with me?” She asked and winked at me.

“Sure, but why aren't you celebrating this year? Not even with Ensign Godhard?” My curiosity tore me apart so that I just had to ask. But Annika looked at me confused.

“How did you come across Ensign Godhard?” Annika asked me while she took two champagne glasses from the replicator and handed me one.

"Oh, I heard a while ago that you two were together." I said and Annika began to laugh heartily, which in turn made me look at her confused.

"What?" I asked and she put her champagne glass on the dining table.

“Jamie and I are just friends. We noticed right away on our first date that it wouldn't work for us. In addition, he's unhappily in love with someone else, just like me." Annika replied with a sigh and looked away from me, embarrassed.

"Annika, I ..." before I could continue speaking, Annika looked at me again and smiled sadly.

“I know you love Seven, even if she doesn't exist anymore. I fully respect that. Don't worry, it wasn't an allusion to our situation.” She said softly and took her glass back in her hand and held it out to me so that I could hit it with my glass.

"On us, on a successful mission and on what may come next." She announced happily, but I knew that at the moment it was only an act. So I nodded to her with a sigh and then sipped the champagne.

“Jamie, by the way, is in love with your friend B'Elanna Torres. Too bad that she only recently got together with Tom Paris." Said Annika, while she put her champagne glass back on the table and stepped into the middle of the living area and smiled mischievously at me.

"May I seduce you into a birthday dance?" She asked, grinning at me a little challengingly.

I had to give her that, she just looked adorable when she asked for something. So I nodded my head and got a wonderful smile from Annika, who immediately instructed the computer to play a certain song.

Together we approached each other and like back then in the club, I put my hand around her waist and took her other hand in my hand while she put her arm on my back and let me lead.

We danced to the very slow song for a little while and were probably lost in our own thoughts.

"Are you glad that Jamie and I are not a couple?" Annika asked suddenly and I had to swallow before I could answer.

“In a way, yes. Although I also think it's a shame that you didn't become a couple because I really want you to be well. How did you actually get to know each other?” I asked curiously.

“We met in the fitness room. We were somehow always there at the same time and mostly worked on the adjacent devices. That's how we started a conversation and then also agreed to meet.” Annika explained while the song ended. But like back then in the club we stayed together and danced to the next song, which started right where the first song had ended.

"Will you be happy when the year is over and I leave the Manticore?" Annika suddenly asked and I looked at her in astonishment.

"Hm ... I honestly haven't thought about that yet." I answered honestly and she looked at me gently.

“I think a lot about what I'll do after this year. I already know that I won't be going back to Galor IV. I mean, I love working at the Daystrom Institute, but certain circumstances make it impossible for me to return. I will probably first visit my aunt Irene on earth and see what I want to do with my life.” Annika explained, sounding very wistful.

"What certain circumstances are those that make it impossible for you to go back?" I asked worriedly and Annika wriggled away from me and sat on the bed and asked the computer to end the song.

To her surprise, I sat down next to her and took her hand in mine and gave it a light squeeze.

“Please tell me. Maybe I can help you.” I said and Annika blinked at me and looked down at our bandaged hands, then she looked at me again and I smiled at her gently.

"Do you remember the woman who interrupted us while we were dancing?" Asked Annika and yes, I could only remember this woman too well. So I grimaced and frowned.

"Your girlfriend?" I asked, but Annika shook her head.

“No, we were already separated back then. Only Margo did not accept it. She's also the reason I applied for this job, even though I actually hate living on a spaceship. It's always so cold and if you look out the window, you can never see the sun.” Annika replied dejectedly.

"Hm ... and you mean, after a year of being here, she still didn't accept that you were separated?"

“No, she will never accept it. That's the problem. She is ... “ Annika stopped and tried to find the right word to describe Margo exactly. But then she shook her head and looked at me with sad eyes.

“She has made it her life's work to destroy my life and myself piece by piece. There's not even a good reason for it. She doesn't need it either, it was enough that I broke up with her after I noticed that my relationship with her was getting me worse and worse.” Annika explained and lowered her gaze to the floor.

"So bad?" I ask and Annika nods her head and I could see from the side how individual tears were already starting to run down her cheeks. I put my hand under her chin and gently turn her head towards me, then gently wiped away her tears with my hand and smiled encouragingly at her.

"I will help you to solve the problem with Margo so that you can work at the Daystrom Institute again if you really want to." I said and Annika continued to look at me sadly and then shook her head.

"Kathryn, you can't help me, no matter how sweet you mean it, it won't help." Annika explained in a shaky voice. "Please, I don't want to drag you into this."

"Sometimes it helps if you talk to someone about a problem." I replied and Annika nodded her head.

"I know, that's why I go to Conselor Mora once a week and talk to her about my problems."

“It's funny that we've never met there. I also go to her once a week.” I said and winked at Annika, who looked at me in surprise.

"Because of Seven?" She asked.

“Yes, also because of that, but also because of other things. But now just look at both of us. We sit here and talk about problems and I managed to make you sad on your birthday. I'm very sorry, can I make up for it with anything?” I asked hopefully and Annika gave me a small smile.

“Before you came, I wanted to bake a cake for the team. I could use your help." Said Annika and I pouted.

"Jeez, I have to warn you, I am absolutely a no-brainer when it comes to cooking and baking." I replied and had to laugh.

Annika looked at me crookedly.

"I think I'll risk it." she said, smiling warmly at me.

While we both looked for the ingredients for the cake and then baked it, Annika and I had a very pleasant time. I liked how she measured all the ingredients calmly and conscientiously, following the quantities, and then put them in a bowl. I then had the glorious task of mixing everything together and making a dough out of it, which we then put in a baking pan. At the end the dough was decorated with delicious looking fruits and then placed in the replicator field to be baked there.

To be honest, I had no idea that you could bake a cake that way. I only knew that my mother put the cake in the stove and let it bake there in the oven. Otherwise I'd only enjoyed replica cakes, or Neelix's. When I think about it, I didn't even know how he had done it.

While the cake is in the baking pan in the replicator field for about 40 minutes had to bake, we sat back at the dining table and talked about this and that. I found out why Annika was housed in much too small quarters where she was actually entitled to a much larger one. I learned why she had described her bulkheads with the physical and mathematical formulas and in a moment of pleasant silence I leaned over to her and put my lips on her lips. It wasn't really a thing that I planned or thought through. It was created out of a pleasant atmosphere and it felt kind of right and damn good.

As our tongues explored each other slowly and curiously, our lips melted together and our hands held each other tightly, the air suddenly began to buzz and crackle around us. I thought it was a perception illusion and was due to the kissing, which confused my senses and pulled me into a state of weightlessness.

But then there was a loud deafening bang and everything around us exploded.


	11. Chapter 11

Biting, bright light made me startle and jump up. Confused and stunned, I looked around, and without really being able to realize it, I saw the only person in this universe I had thought I'd never see again.

My heart understood much faster than my mind could explain. But there she was and stood right in front of me. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she took my hand in hers and squeezed it tight.

"Seven?" I asked after my mind caught up and finally recognized Seven.

"Yes, it's me." she said and wiped her tears with her other hand.

"How?" I asked confused, staring at her dazedly.

“The time ship Relativity. You remember?” She asked me and I nodded my head carefully.

"Explain it to me." I asked her and she nodded to me with a smile.

“When you died on Voyager that time, I couldn't accept that. Neither my heart nor my mind was capable of it. So I did the only thing that seemed logical to me. I traveled back in time and prevented you from stranding the Voyager in the Delta Quadrant. After that, I traveled further back in time and visited myself as a small child. I prevented my parents from taking me on their trip. But this interference in the timeline, changed the entire course of time, so that Captain Braxton and his crew pulled me out of the traffic and restored the original timeline. I asked her to stop you from dying. I promised them so much trouble I could get into if they didn't grant me my wish, that Captain Braxton yielded and found a very simple solution to the problem." Seven explained to me and looked at me lovingly.

"But you gave Annika your cortical knot, how did you survive?" I asked confused and Seven smiled knowingly at me.

“Captain Braxton had beamed me on the relativity at the moment when I actually would have died and thus prevented me from dying. As soon as the original timeline, which lasted only a few seconds, was restored, I got my cortical knot again and survived.” Seven said and I looked at her amazed.

"Only a few seconds?" I asked, puzzled, and blinked at Seven.

“Well, that's how it was for me. Of course, it took about 11 months for you and the Relativity crew. During this time, you had to live in the other timeline before the original timeline was restored. I know time travel is well known for being confusing and irritating. You don't have to think about it any longer, I've learned that here on Relativity.” Seven replied and brought my hand, which she was still holding in her hand, to her mouth and breathed a kiss on it.

“I'm sorry that I put so much to you. I had neither known nor suspected that my actions would have such far-reaching consequences. I just wanted to know that you were safe and that you were alive.” Seven said softly and again tears began to roll from her eyes.

I looked at her lovingly and pulled her into my arms and just held her for a long moment.

"Oh how lovely." Was a gruff voice that practically let me and Seven slide apart.

“Captain Janeway! And once again they managed to get me, my crew and my ship upside down and what all this for?” Captain Braxton asked, looking at me angrily.

“For love. Oh what a cuddle." He said contemptuously and I stared at him angrily too.

“Your Borg drone here, has thrown the whole universe into chaos through her actions, actually she deserves to be tried in court-martial and imprisoned for life. But there are forces that shouldn't be touched, so listen carefully to me, if either of them should interfere again with the existing timeline, then that was it for you. Have I made myself clear?” He asked irritably, and both I and Seven nodded our heads.

"Well, then we'll now erase your memories and send you back to Voyager in your timeline, keeping a single memory, namely the one you shouldn't let yourself be bitten by a cute looking animal. Stick to it and hopefully everything will go well. And to give you one more piece of advice Captain, you should finally live out your love for your Borg drone, that will hopefully prevent further interference with the time. There are no more excuses, you both love each other and for the universe it is the best and also much safer if you both finally stand by it.” He said harshly and I looked at him in disbelief.

"May I ask what caused chaos in the universe?" I asked curiously and Captain Braxton grimaced in disgust.

“While you were actually stranded in the Delta Quadrant, Commander Shelby had taken command of the Manticore and led them into the Gamma Quadrant. Not having as much experience as a captain as you did, he had steered Manitcore through a mistake into an area of the Gamma Quadrant where he met the founders. The founders are a changeling species. You surely know Odo? Well then you know what I am talking about. The founders lead the Dominion, an amalgamation of several alliances that will declare war on the Alpha Quadrant and the great Federation alliance in 2373. Captain Shelby made it back to the Alpha Quadrant in time and was thus able to notify and warn the Federation . You, on the other hand, did not come across the founders while traveling in the Gamma Quadrant because you did not make this mistake. Instead, the Manticore were destroyed by a Jem'Hadar patrol ship. Thus, the federation could never be notified and never adequately prepare for the war. The Federation alliance broke up and the balance of power in the entire Alpha Quadrant was disrupted. And thus my timeline too.” Captain Braxton explained disgustedly.

"Ah" I replied and looked at Seven, who also looked at me and raised her eyebrow.

“Enough talk, it is time for you to return. Doctor please delete the memories of the last 11 months with Captain Janeway and the last 2 weeks with the Borg drone.” Said Captain Braxton and a doctor stepped on my bio bed with a hypospray. Before he could give it to me, however, I glanced over at Captain Braxton.

“Seven is no longer a Borg drone." I said harshly to this creep and this is exactly where my story ends, as the doctor held the hypospray to my neck and discharged it.


	12. Chapter 12

Captain Kathryn Janeway woke up at the first buzz of her alarm and sat up in her bed, tired and dozy.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with her hands before she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and slowly slipped into the bathroom, where she treated herself to a hydrodusche to wake up and revitalize her tired body.

After the shower, she put on her freshly replicated uniform, combed her hair, and left the bathroom. In the living area she replicated her first coffee and took it to her desk. There she sat down and checked the latest department reports on her computer terminal while she sipped her coffee and let the dark bitter liquid flow down her throat and sighed pleasantly.

After she had finished her coffee, she left her quarters and took the turbolift to the bridge. On the bridge she was greeted by her bridge staff and Harry Kim reported a little later that a planetary system that corresponded to class M had appeared on his long-range sensors.

"Captain to Neelix." Said Kathryn and the Talaxian answered immediately.

"Yes, Captain?" He asked.

"We have discovered a planet in close proximity, is it necessary that we have to take in food and water?" Asked Kathryn and Neelix confirmed this.

"Good, Tuvok put together an away team." Kathryn ordered and Chakotay looked at her curiously from the side.

"Shall we beam down and look around?" He asked and in Kathryn's stomach her stomach contracted and her heart began to pound wildly. Confused by her body's physical response to this question, she looked at Chakotay in confusion and then shook her head.

“No, I think I'd better skip this planet. Oh Tuvok, be careful of cute-looking animals, they can cause pretty bad bite wounds." warned Kathryn Tuvok, although she didn't know exactly where it came from. But in the next moment she had the great need to see Seven, so she looked over at Chakotay again.

“I really need to speak to Seven. Chakotay you have the bridge.” With that Kathryn got up from her captain's chair and left the bridge and took the turbolift to the astrometry.

Once there, she went full-swing into the laboratory as soon as the doors opened for her. Seven, who was standing at her work console and scanning the planet, looked back at Kathryn and nodded to her.

"Captain, can I do something for you?" She asked politely and Kathryn smiled warmly at her.

"Yes, you can." Kathryn replied and quickly closed the distance between the two of them and pulled Seven into her arms and gave her a lascivious look.

Seven looked down at Kathryn in amazement. But then she put her hand behind Kathryn's neck and pulled her head towards her. Both of their lips met and locked together.

Oh good god, thought Kathryn, Seven's lips were so soft and so gentle. Kathryn's lips parted and her tongue slipped out of her mouth and brushed Seven's lips. Seven moaned softly into the kiss, while her lips parted too and her tongue came out and gently touched Kathryn's tongue.

From that moment on, Kathryn's body took over. Her mind skipped and her lips and tongue danced longingly around each other with Seven's lips and tongue.

Both women lost track of time. Nothing mattered to they any more, just the different sensations that swept over them as the kiss grew stormier and wilder. Their hearts pounded wildly and their bodies longed for each other's bodies. So they pressed their bodies against each other as much as possible.

Suddenly, Kathryn had no idea why, but Seven pulled away from her and she opened her eyes in surprise and looked at her in amazement.

"Was I able to help you successfully?" She asked, looking mischievously at Kathryn while she gasped for air, her chest rose and fell quickly and she concentrated on inhaling and exhaling.

And exactly at that moment Kathryn remembered that she should take a breath herself. So she greedily drew oxygen into her lungs and grinned broadly at Seven after her breathing returned to normal.

"Uh, no. I need more kisses and your presence on a date is also welcome, if you want." Kathryn replied and looked at Seven affectionately and tenderly.

Seven looked at Kathryn in amazement and didn't know how to react.

"Captain are you okay?" Seven asked worriedly after a moment and Kathryn shook her head.

“No, I'm fine, I just had a very strange dream last night. They were only vague fragments, but I understood the message or the meaning behind it. And that says, if you love someone, don't be afraid to go up to that person and tell her oder him. Because you never know how much time you have left in life for it before it might be too late." Kathryn explained, while she put her hands on Seven's hips and slowly pulled them back to her body.

“I'm in love with you and I don't want to die before I say that to you and show you how much you mean to me and how much I love you. Does that make sense?" Asked Kathryn and Seven looked at her astonished and blinked for a moment before she tilted her head to Kathryn's head and breathed a very soft and gentle kiss on her lips.

After Seven parted from Kathryn's lips again, she looked at her with a very amorous and happy look and nodded her head.

“That makes a lot of sense to me. I agree on a date.” Seven said beaming with joy and Kathryn looked at her delightedly.

"Very well, I'll let you continue working then. I'll let you know later when we meet and until then ..." Kathryn put her lips on Seven's lips and kissed a small, light kiss on her lips, which Seven quickly turned into a very passionate kiss.

"Woah, what a kiss." replied Kathryn, who was a bit dizzy from lack of oxygen.

Seven looked at her sheepishly, her face flushed. "What's up until then?" Asked Seven and Kathryn smiled broadly at her because she had somehow forgotten what she wanted to say. But then she remembered.

"Take good care of yourself, I still need you to live the rest of my life happily with you." Kathryn replied with a wink and Seven looked at her in love.

"Acceptable." said Seven, grinning broadly at Kathryn. Kathryn gave her one more kiss before she could finally part with Seven and return to the bridge. On the way there, she called Seven again on her communicator to tell her how much she loved her.

The End


End file.
